Blaming dice is ignoring all the times when they roll well for you, to instead focus on poor results that will happen due to random variation.

People who like to blame dice should not play games that use dice.

There are some games where your dice just leave you hanging. I was at last year's Regionals vs. a list I felt comfortable with. My dice were just horrid. I've replayed the match many times in my head, but I wouldn't have done anything different. I mean, I had Xizor and 5 Z-95's firing for 4-5 turns at a Decimator and I couldn't even take it down to half health?

With that said, I'm OK with it being the dice. I'm OK that I lost and all that. It still was the dice. It wasn't one critical roll that failed me, which is what a lot of people like to blame on bad luck. I've also played games where my opponent just couldn't catch a break. There have been games I would've lost if my opponent was rolling average dice results.

Bad dice happens, but I just don't get bent out of shape about it. Yes, maybe some people blame bad dice more than they should. There can be other things they could've done that would've changed their outcome, but bad dice rolls do exist in games.

I reckon the majority of games that people lose "because of the dice" they would have lost anyway. If it wasn't the case you wouldn't have the same players winning tournaments all the time regardless of their dice swings.

It's just a handy excuse that means you can walk away from a defeat without having to be self-critical. Unfortunately that also makes it a huge obstacle preventing people from analysing their mistakes and becoming better players.

HOWEVER

I also don't think that this is what the OP was talking about. If a ritual of rolling dice to get good results is what is required for you to stop having a worry about the dice rolls being a factor in your decision making then continue to practice that ritual. Some people say a prayer, some people bring a rabbit's foot, some people some people lay their ship/upgrade cards out in precisely the same order every time. Whatever your ritual that helps you approach the decision making of the game with the clearest mind... keep doing it.

I do compare it to playing pool with someone and "they didn't have chalk on their stick/hands" and that's why they missed the shot.

I definitely use subtle tactics to mind game people. Things like reminding them of shots they have on a different target than the one you want, occasionally reminding them of various action choices they have in an attempt to make them consider something else. Best when combined with inconsistent application. For instance if you list off their possible targets every round to 'assist' them but then one crucial round just not saying anything or only listing ships you want them to shoot. Now to be clear, don't lie or cheat about ships they have legitimate shots on, just don't helpfully list whatever you don't want shot. If they take that shot then you can follow with 'oh yeah, that one too' to continue the 'helpful' front.

Psych warfare is alright, as long as you're not a jerk about it. I'm an ex-corrections officer, so I'll occasionally put on my "CO face" of utter and complete disregard and just look at my opponent. It sometimes works by making them double-think positioning.

Dice suck and fail you when you need them the most, this is a fact most true.

I think my only issue with it is the people who think that they can be super jerks for strategic purposes. Subtle mind games are one thing. Actively trying to be a distraction or annoyance to throw your opponent off is ridiculous and completely violates the spirit of playing the game. You do not see chess masters kicking each other in the shins for an advantage. The point of playing X-wing is to test your skills at playing X-wing, not to test your abilities to make people annoyed and frustrated.

i had a Uboat chasing palpmobile for 5 turns before i managed to break away with the shuttle. Palp should have been dead since he had 3hull when the uboat got behind him. Btw the uboat was Dengar with title and he had range1 for quite a few shots. Did 2 damage against a 1agi ship in 5 rounds: theres no way that cant be blamed on dice lol. I doubt i would have lost anyway since both my aces cleaned up his duo y-wings and were zeroing in on dengar, but he should have at least taken palpy out rofl.

He ended that game with 16pts because palp survived and neither ace died. Both of us were like "dem dice doe..." lol

I usually can get a good read on my next move within a few minutes of my opponent's final position and often set dials during combat phase thinking. Many times my opponent will say "dials" and ill say "Set" in response and they either get frantic trying to keep up or wonder what I possibly could be doing and if I'm just copying my last move. It's worked out a good few times without it even being a strategy I set out for.

Table talk like that (ex. you should have boosted instead of barrel rolling) is annoying and comes off as being on purpose to throw your opponent's game off. There's nothing wrong with chatter, especially if it's mutual, but nobody wants to play a know-it-all or a guy trying to throw you off. I'm at the point now where I just ignore people. And trust me, those who know me know that I'm a talker. Just not that kind.

playing mind games is basically all of the fun in any game; honestly, what'd poker be without it? it'd be garbage; pure luck! ....mind games is an essential element of both player interaction in game and social interaction between players.

Well said oh "gentleman with the member name quoting what we all yell when we play" ...all-be-it with some color added many times, haha.

Yes, this is a game that interaction is primary, collecting ships and cards is secondary tied in many ways with the end-reason of playing of the game. If it isn't for interaction and tossing about assistance, dares, claims and irritations, then there would be almost no reason to play it more than once. I like all of the equipment, skill, chance, blather and luck all mixing together to create fun.

Being social during a game is fine. If you realize that psyching out your opponent gives you an advantage - no, I don't consider that part of any game. I think people should be unhindered as they try to think a few steps ahead to predict your moves, and not to be distracted by any momentum you set up by the way you speak or act. Poker is different, many times where money is involved. This isn't poker.

You should seek to destroy your opponent's capacity to enjoy the game. All that matters is your own fun.

Personally, whenever I'm clubbing a seal particularly well, I like to start yelling, "Shock and awe, shock and awe!" while picking up the challenge coins I'm using as shield tokens and throwing them at my opponent's miniatures so they break.

Being social during a game is fine. If you realize that psyching out your opponent gives you an advantage - no, I don't consider that part of any game. I think people should be unhindered as they try to think a few steps ahead to predict your moves, and not to be distracted by any momentum you set up by the way you speak or act. Poker is different, many times where money is involved. This isn't poker.

You should seek to destroy your opponent's capacity to enjoy the game. All that matters is your own fun.

Personally, whenever I'm clubbing a seal particularly well, I like to start yelling, "Shock and awe, shock and awe!" while picking up the challenge coins I'm using as shield tokens and throwing them at my opponent's miniatures so they break.

I think you just made a new version of Pogs that's cruel, leaves everyone sad and costs a lot of money.

Being social during a game is fine. If you realize that psyching out your opponent gives you an advantage - no, I don't consider that part of any game. I think people should be unhindered as they try to think a few steps ahead to predict your moves, and not to be distracted by any momentum you set up by the way you speak or act. Poker is different, many times where money is involved. This isn't poker.

You should seek to destroy your opponent's capacity to enjoy the game. All that matters is your own fun.

Personally, whenever I'm clubbing a seal particularly well, I like to start yelling, "Shock and awe, shock and awe!" while picking up the challenge coins I'm using as shield tokens and throwing them at my opponent's miniatures so they break.

I think you just made a new version of Pogs that's cruel, leaves everyone sad and costs a lot of money.

Only if everyone has lots of challenge coins. It's like pogs but you can only get slammers by winning prior games. I call this new game "POG Monopoly Edition: smash the poor".

Being social during a game is fine. If you realize that psyching out your opponent gives you an advantage - no, I don't consider that part of any game. I think people should be unhindered as they try to think a few steps ahead to predict your moves, and not to be distracted by any momentum you set up by the way you speak or act. Poker is different, many times where money is involved. This isn't poker.

You should seek to destroy your opponent's capacity to enjoy the game. All that matters is your own fun.

Personally, whenever I'm clubbing a seal particularly well, I like to start yelling, "Shock and awe, shock and awe!" while picking up the challenge coins I'm using as shield tokens and throwing them at my opponent's miniatures so they break.

I think you just made a new version of Pogs that's cruel, leaves everyone sad and costs a lot of money.

Only if everyone has lots of challenge coins. It's like pogs but you can only get slammers by winning prior games. I call this new game "POG Monopoly Edition: smash the poor".

Then pulp and process their bodies to feed the rich!